When in Doubt
by KateBB7
Summary: Jamie confronts Eddie about her so-called 'friend', after he figures out the connection to Danny's newest case - a double homicide. Independent. Now completed.
1. Chapter 1

_AN - Hello! Don't you guys hate it when lots of ideas are stuck in your head? Got about half a dozen new stories already, while struggling with the last chapter of Going Back. The titles in my profile got the same amount of votes, so I decided to go for a completely different one. You are still welcome to send a PM with your vote - maybe you can untie the tie. Well, here's the newest addition to my stories. Constructive criticism is always welcome (ten months ago, my English was a lot less fluent, compared to now, please, let me be even better) along with your always wonderful reviews and ideas. Let me know what you think about this one. Enjoy. /K._

 **When in Doubt**

 **Sunday, 6.00 pm, Bay Ridge  
** "How's your case going, Danny?" Henry asked the oldest of his grandkids. Danny, still chewing on a big mouthful of pork chops, nodded and grabbed his glass.

"No ID's yet and we're still looking for the man that ran away. We've got a witness that puts him there, but it's like he just up and vanished into thin air," Danny replied, sounding somewhat irritated. He and Baez had caught the case of a double homicide in an alley in Hell's Kitchen. The victims, two men in the early thirties, were still unidentified. They were suspected to be eastern European, judging by the few tattoos they were sporting. Both of them had taken two bullets to the chest, but not a single weapon had been found at the scene, even though both of them had been packing. A third man had been seen fleeing the alley and had disappeared in the city.

"What happens, if you don't find the man that killed them, dad?" Sean asked from his corner of the table. Danny sighed, not needing to be reminded of the difficulty it was. They had nothing, no weapon, no motive, and not even the victim's identities. Narcotics didn't know the two guys and the organized crime hadn't seen them before or even heard about the shooting. He and Baez had squat and nothing but a witness, who saw a man run out of the alley and down the street.

"Nothing will happen, Sean," he replied, more frustrated than he intended.

"So the killer just gets away with it?" Jack asked and pushed his fork into another piece of meat, looking around the table, inquiringly.

"Boys, your dad is in a tough spot," Frank said when he put down his fork to put butter on the bread. "But not all crimes are solved and some people get away with what they do," the commissioner said and looked at his two grandsons.

"Solving murders, like this, is like a puzzle, where you can't see the pictures on the smaller pieces. It's all just like a blank canvas," Henry chipped in and reached for his glass of wine.

"I thought, that was why surveillance cameras were invented," Sean said in between mouthfuls. "So they could help the police solve the puzzles," he continued.

"That's right, Sean, but there were no cameras in this alley or just around. But it would sure help the case if there had been," Danny said and stabbed the broccoli into his mouth.

"What ever happened to god old detective work?" Erin asked, sounding a little offended. Danny put his fork down and sat up straighter, ready to argue with his sister.

"Yeah, don't you think people have a right to some privacy on the street instead of being watched every single step?" Nicky chimed in. "What? That's my opinion, Uncle Danny," she continued defensively when Danny shifted his irritated gaze to her. Erin glared at Danny for a moment, until he put his fork down.

"All right, say you are on your way home from a friend's place late in the evening. You are mugged in the street and there's no one else around you. Only solid evidence is the surveillance camera from across the street, which leads to the perp. Without that video, you would have squat and the perp would have never been found. He could mug tens of people and maybe even promote to killing someone," Danny said and pointed distantly with his knife.

"Broken windows, I get it, but it is kind of big brotherly, when someone is watching every move you make," Nicky admitted and shrugged.

"After walking the streets I'd have to agree with Danny on this one," Jamie said and shrugged.

"What? I thought you had some rationality left, Jamie," Erin said, astonished of her youngest brother's turn.

"Thank you," Danny said and swallowed another piece of meat.

"It's true," Jamie said, defending himself from Erin. "I mean, it is a public street anyway, and if you're not doing anything wrong, you shouldn't have to worry about it," he continued.

"Exactly what I think," Henry agreed.

"What happened to the good old days, Pops?" Frank asked and Henry shrugged.

"I thought, you were advocating the old slapper," Linda said and made the family chuckle.

"Big brotherly or not, the streets and everybody walking them are safer than they would be without the cameras," Henry said. "If anything, there should be more cameras," the oldest Reagan huffed.

"Gramps… people have the right to some privacy, whether it is walking down the street or in their own home," Erin exclaimed resentful.

"Erin, it's true," Danny said with a raised voice. "Crime rates would be lot higher, if those cameras weren't out there. And if they hadn't been there, some murderers would even walk free. You of all people should know that as well as I," he continued and all, but Erin, felt silent by his outburst.

"I know, Danny, but where's the limit?" she asked, clearly on edge by Danny's argument.

"Let's keep it civil," Frank interrupted them before they could utter any other words. The family went back to eating in silence.

"For the record, there's nothing wrong with the slapper," Henry grunted from the other end of the table.

"Pass the potatoes, please," Frank said as the last words.

 **Monday, 10.00 am, 12** **th** **precinct  
** Eddie and Jamie walked into the precinct, both of them with a firm grip on their not-so-fresh collar that reeked of alcohol. Their collar was a middle-aged man with grey hair, a good deal taller than Jamie but possible even scrawnier. They had been assigned the call only half an hour earlier and after a few minutes of trying to talk with him, the perp had pushed Jamie through a couple of tables, at an outside breakfast bar, before running down the street and into an alley. Eddie had followed suit and Jamie soon after, not far behind them. In the alley, Eddie had run into a civilian and both of them had tumbled to the ground with food scraps and garbage scattering around them. Jamie continued the pursuit and tackled the man a bit further down the alley.

"I'd still say that was your greatest bust yet," Jamie laughed when they turned into booking. Eddie responded with a strained smile, still trying hard not to let the smell affect her too much.

"Next time I'll remember my cape before I go dumpster bowling," she mumbled drily.

"Reagan, Janko," the man behind the counter greeted the two officers with a smile. His face cringed when the smell hit him. "What the hell is that smell?" he asked when he handed Jamie the clipboard and a pen.

"Eddie collided with a chef walking out the trash…" Jamie replied with a smile.

"Ugh, I think there might have been some old fish or tofu in there," Eddie complained deprecatingly and put the transparent bag, with their collar's personal belongings, on the counter.

"Drunk and disorderly, resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer," Jamie declared and handed back the clip board.

"I didn't do anything," the man protested with a heavy slur. The officer behind the counter looked over the paper work and then glanced at the man, skeptically.

"Sure you didn't. While we are at it, for the record, he's innocent," Eddie grunted sarcastically when another officer took a hold of the elder man's arm and led him away.

"Right, and I'm the queen of England," the officer responded with a chuckle. "Take care, you two… uhm, you might want to leave a few air fresheners in the car," he added as a second thought.

"Yeah, I think you need to take a shower as well. And change your uniform," Jamie stated and made sure to put some distance in between them when they walked out.

"Very funny, Reagan," Eddie replied wryly and pushed through the door to the locker room when they passed it. Jamie laughed and continued, hunting for air fresheners. Half an hour later, they walked back outside to their car. Eddie fresh out of the shower with a clean uniform on, the smell still stuck in her nose.

"Drunk at ten in the morning, on a Monday, must be a new record," Jamie said when Eddie pivoted into the passenger seat of the bad smelling squad car.

"Yeah, he must really hate Mondays," she agreed and whiffed the air in the car. Both of them said nothing, when they rolled down the windows to let the bad smell out. They took off and headed back to their designated district, when a message ticked in on Eddie's phone. "I'm really looking forward to my day off tomorrow," she said when she grabbed the phone out of her pocket and read it through, momentarily raising her eyebrows before slipping the phone back into her pocket.

"What's that about?" Jamie asked when he caught a glance of her before he turned right.

"Nothing… just an old friend of my mom's family," Eddie replied and looked out the window.

" _12-David, be advised, domestic disturbance on 267 Tenth Avenue,_ " dispatch reported over the radio.

"12-David, show us responding," Jamie replied and sped up. Eddie hit the lights and sirens as they rushed down the street.

 **Wednesday, 6.00 pm, West Village  
** "Eddie, come on, open up," Jamie called and knocked on the door again. He had been surprised and disappointed when he learned that Eddie had called in sick that morning. It had turned into worry, when she hadn't replied to any of his texts or returned his calls. Maybe he was a little bit concerned, but only because she would normally answer her phone. He knocked on the door again and took a step back when he heard the lock click and turn.

"What do you want, Reagan?" Eddie asked, looking tired and sounding frustrated, when she opened the door. Her hair was messy and even though she had bare feet and was wearing a tank top, she had a scarf wrapped around her neck.

"I came by to make sure you hadn't died of whatever sickness you've caught," Jamie replied, smirking at his hesitant partner.

"Sorry, my phone was off," Eddie said and propped up the scarf when she looked down for a moment.

"All day? Eddie…" Jamie began, his smile faltered, but Eddie cut him off.

"I'm fine, Reagan, nothing to worry about," she said hastily and couldn't look him in the eye. "I'll see you tomorrow, thanks for stopping by," she said and was about to close the door.

"What's that?" Jamie asked when he caught a glance of her bruised wrist. "What happened, Janko?" he asked stiffly and grabbed her elbow to examine the bruises, simultaneously with pushing the door more open. Eddie pulled her arm back after a few seconds and cupped her wrist.

"I told you, Reagan, it's nothing to worry about," she said again and grabbed the door so she could close it. Jamie's eyes lingered on her when she pulled the door closer.

"Is anyone in there with you, Eddie?" Jamie asked, lowering his voice. Eddie glanced over her shoulder for a second before turning back and shaking her head.

"Just go, Reagan, I'm fine," she said, now more irritated than before. "Please," she added and Jamie's brow furrowed in doubt and mistrust. Finally, without a word, he stepped back and let Eddie close the door. He looked at it for several moments before turning around and walking away with his hands in his pockets. It wasn't a 'no', and she clearly didn't want him there. But his concern didn't go away.

...

"Come on, Edit, please," the taller man begged and walked a step closer to her when she had closed the door. He ran a hand through his short, dirty blond hair and sighed resignedly. Eddie didn't budge but looked at him with loathing in her eyes, she didn't even notice the scar anymore, having been accustomed with since childhood. The man had an eye catching scar from his the corner of his left brow to the earlobe, ragged and pink.

"I'm not doing it," she said for the umpteenth time that night. Just like she had done the night before. She spoke quietly but firmly and pushed past him. "And if you ever hurt me again, I promise, I will haul your sorry ass down to the precinct and lock you up myself," she continued defiantly, pulling off the scarf and threw it on the table. The colorful bruises on her neck were a sharp contrast to her pale skin. It didn't hurt anymore, but it sure was visible. Jamie wouldn't let her hear the end of it tomorrow if he saw them. Just like he had done after her situation with Jake Singer. She had seen the worry in his eyes when she had talked with him just a few minutes earlier. It had pained her to just push him away like that.

"Edit…" the man tried again, his accent a bit more evident, but Eddie held up a hand in front of her, stopping him in his movement.

"Get the hell out of here," she only replied and pointed to the door. The man was silent and after a few moments he nodded, grabbed his jacket and rushed out through the door. Only then, Eddie let herself collapse on the couch pulling her legs up to her chest. She knew he would come back to try persuading her again, it was only a matter of time. Yesterday had gone a lot like today except he had given her the bruises on her wrist and her neck. When she had denied his request, he had grabbed her and pushed her to the wall, almost yelling at her to do it. Thankfully, he came to his senses and left, leaving Eddie alone and hurt in her apartment. She had considered calling her partner, just to hear his voice, but she knew he would rush over and at the moment, she didn't have the courage to face him. So this morning she had called in sick and every time Jamie's name flashed on the screen of her phone she had looked away with shame. Eddie blinked and realized she had been staring at the same spot on the wall for a few minutes. Impulsively, she grabbed her phone and texted her partner. ' _Sorry, we'll talk tomorrow. I am okay. E._ ' She hesitated for a moment before hitting the send button.

...

Jamie was sitting in his car, outside the building he had just exited. He wasn't just about to leave his partner like that, whether she liked it or not. She probably wouldn't approve of him staking out her building, either. After only a few minutes, the front door opened and a tall man was walking out. He walked briskly, with a hoodie covering his face and hands in his pockets. He walked across the street and Jamie memorized the car he drove away in, make, model and plate. A few moments later, his phone ticked and he read the text from Eddie. Once again, he glanced up at the building before he decided to call in a favor.

" _Reagan,_ " Danny replied after a single call. Jamie looked up at the building again.

"Hey, Danny, am I interrupting?" Jamie asked.

" _No, just catching up on some paperwork. Why do you ask, kid?_ " Danny replied, sounding thankful for the break. Jamie hesitated for a moment and Danny caught it. " _What are you doing, Jamie?_ " he asked suspiciously and Jamie sighed, scratching the back of his neck.

"Nothing," Jamie replied, a little too quickly. "I was just wondering…" he continued and paused. Maybe this wasn't a good idea. He wasn't even sure it was related.

" _Spit it out, already, before the sun sets,_ " Danny said, mildly irritated.

"Can you run a plate for me… off the books," Jamie asked, rushing through the words. Now it was Danny's turn to be silent. He probably hadn't expected that.

" _Yeah, sure,_ " he replied after a beat.

"Mike, Golf, Queen, two, two, three. A grey Toyota Camry," Jamie said and he could hear Danny punching it in on his computer.

" _I got nothing, kid. Let me try the plate alone,_ " Danny said and Jamie could almost hear his brother's grunt of confusion. " _The plates are supposed to be on a dark blue Ford Taurus… it was reported stolen Sunday morning from Midtown East,_ " Danny said, puzzled. It wasn't unheard of, that people switched out the plates on cars, especially if the car was hot.

"Try the grey Camry, from '98, I think," Jamie said, now pinching the bridge of his nose.

" _Hang on… stolen from Hell's Kitchen… five blocks from my crime scene,_ " Danny went silent for a few moments. Jamie looked up at the building again, curious.

"Any connection?" Jamie asked, hoping for a negative.

" _Where are you, kid? What did you see?_ " Danny asked, suddenly more agitated than earlier. Jamie couldn't even be sure if there had been anyone else in Eddie's apartment. Let alone what apartment the man had visited.

"Nothing, it's gone. A tall man was driving, that's all," Jamie finally said with a sigh.

" _He didn't happen to be six-one, muscular, short haired and with a mark on the left side of his face?_ " Danny asked, trying to fish out any detail of his brother. Jamie replayed the memory of the man in his head.

"Height seems to fit, he was wearing baggy clothes but I guess he could be semi-athletic. I didn't see his face or hair, though," Jamie said afflicted and closed his eyes. "I don't know, Danny. I have to go. Thanks," he continued and ended the call before Danny could make an objection. He dropped the phone back into his pocket and started the car before rolling down the street and heading home.


	2. Chapter 2

_AN - Hello! I'm still stuck on the last chapter of Going Back... and now, with the Olympic games, I've had little time to write. I plan to be watching all of the equestrian competitions (although Denmark only has a team in dressage). Back to this story, a lot of Jamko, which makes me think I've written them a bit OOC. Hopefully, the next chapter will have other characters. Is it too stupid to begin another story now? You're the best! Let me know what you think about this one. Enjoy. /K._

 **Thursday, 8.00 am, Chelsea  
** The two officers had been silent since roll call an hour earlier. It might even have been the slowest morning this week. Eddie was restless, her hands were fidgeting with her hat, phone, a lose thread, button, everything. Jamie was just concentrating on driving, thinking she would have to say something at one point. She sighed and opened her mouth a couple of times, wanting to say something, but not finding the proper words for the start. After a few more minutes of nothing, Jamie glanced at her, a little bit distracted.

"Eddie, please…" he began, mildly irritated. "Who put a bug in your pants?" he asked and turned down another street.

"I'm sorry, all right?" she replied, a bit feistier than she had intended.

"For what? You've done nothing wrong," Jamie replied, looking over her small frame in the seat next to him.

"You know what, Reagan," she muttered with a sigh and crossed her arms.

"And the bruise?" he asked harshly, noticing that her hand shot to her neck covered by a thin NYPD-issued turtle-neck. A moment passed before realization hit him like a punch to the guts. He took in a sharp breath and had to force his hands to relax. His knuckles had turned white around the steering wheel. "Geez, Eddie, who the hell grabbed you by the neck?" he asked looking at her with sparks of fury in his eyes. Consciously, she removed her hand turned to look at him.

"Leave it, Reagan. It's none of your concern," she exploded and looked at him insensitively. Jamie slowed the car and parked at the curb without a word before he turned to her and responded.

"It is, Janko, you're my partner, it's my job to worry about you," he explained, trying to sound as calm as possible. Truth was he could feel tightness in his chest from her comment. Like, he was breathing water or something.

"Yeah, on the job," she exclaimed.

"Could you stop doing that, please?" he asked wearily.

"Do what?" she asked and folded her arms, not knowing what he was talking about.

"Downplay it, like you do. You can talk to me, Eddie, you know that, right?" Jamie asked, hoping to get through. Eddie hesitated for a moment before answering.

"I don't want to talk about it. Can we get going now?" she muttered and turned to look out the window at the hurrying people.

"No," was the only response Jamie could say. Their eyes locked when she turned to look at him angrily.

"Reagan," Eddie began, the anger in her eyes faltered to a more miserable look.

"What do you want me to do, if you end up in the hospital, and I know I could have made a difference?" he asked, now struggling to control his temper. The Reagan temper. Compared to the rest of the family, Jamie had a slow burn, but his outburst could be just as explosive as his brother's.

"I don't care," she all but shouted at him and turned away, immediately regretting her outburst. Jamie looked at her, until she turned away again. Moments passed and he turned the car out on the road again. None of them said anything, only communicated when on calls. By the end of the day, a chill had settled between them.

 **Thursday, 9.00 pm, Bay Ridge  
** "Anybody home?" Frank and Henry looked up and glanced at each other when they heard Jamie's voice through the house. Both of them were sitting in their favorite chairs, not talking, but concentrating on what they had in their hands.

"In here," Henry called back and leaned over to the table to put his cross words puzzle and pen down. Frank closed the book he had been reading and lowered it into his lap when Jamie walked into the room, hands in his pocked, shoulders slouching.

"Haven't seen that look in a while," Frank remarked immediately.

"Huh? What look?" Jamie asked absently and took a seat in the middle of the couch.

"I've only ever seen you look like that, after fighting with Joe," Henry said, carefully not to open any old wounds. Jamie looked up, pain in his eyes, like a hurt puppy.

"Is it that obvious?" he asked, trying to smile but it ended up as a cringe.

"What's troubling you, son?" Frank asked and put the book on the table, next to Henry's puzzles. Jamie rested his elbows on his knees and sighed.

"A friend of mine needs help," he began, twisting in his seat. "And the problem is, I want to help," he continued, looking at his feet.

"That doesn't sound like a problem to me," Henry huffed and folded his hands.

"Pops," Frank said and looked at him for interrupting. Henry shrugged.

"My friend doesn't want my help and I don't know what to do," Jamie said and squirmed before he got to his feet to start a light pacing.

"How bad is it?" Frank asked, keeping his eyes on his youngest, who was clearly in a moral debate with himself.

"A visit-to-the-hospital-bad," Jamie sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets again. Frank pursed his lips and looked down for a moment.

"Sounds to me, like you have to make a choice," Frank said, pondering. "Keep your friend out of the hospital and possibly damage your friendship or let your friend deal with it alone," Frank advised.

"The question is, which option can you live with?" Henry asked and Jamie's eyes fell on the oldest Reagan. "I think the decision calls for a drink," he said and pushed off the chair. He left the room and Jamie let himself collapse on the couch again with a sigh.

"I don't know," he replied cheerlessly, the hurt-puppy-face back.

"It's a tough one, I'll give you that. You have to choose between your friendship and keeping your friend safe," Frank nodded, contemplating.

"I wish, I could just make it all go away," Jamie confessed. His eyes locked on Frank's.

" _When friendships are real, they are not glass threads or frost work, but the solidest thing we know,_ " the commissioner quoted. When Jamie didn't reply, but only looked questionable, he continued. "Waldo Emerson," was the only explanation he gave. Jamie nodded and leaned back in the couch, the soft pillows almost swallowing him. Henry came back and handed the younger officer a crystal glass with amber liquid in it. Frank returned to his book and Henry to his puzzles when he sat down again.

 **Friday, 7.00 am, 12** **th** **precinct  
** "Hey, Harvard, got a minute?" Renzulli called from his chair when he saw Jamie walk by outside the open door. Jamie turned and walked in, nodding a yes.

"What can I do for you, Sarge?" Jamie asked, hat in one hand and the other resting on the butt of hit weapon.

"Everything all right between you and your partner?" the sergeant asked, looking over his glasses. Jamie nodded suspiciously, not sure where his superior was going with this.

"Yeah, we're fine," he replied and Renzulli squinted lightly at him. "Why do you ask?" Jamie continued and scratched the back of his neck.

"Any tough calls lately?" Renzulli asked and took of his glasses while leaning back in his chair.

"Same old, same old, nothing unusual," Jamie replied, still a little bit skeptical.

"So you're good? You and Janko?" Renzulli continued grilling him.

"Sarge," Jamie said, with a hesitant laughter. "What's with the third degree?" he asked, involuntarily taking a step back. The older man held up a hand, apologizing.

"Both of you've been pretty quiet since last tour and when two of my best officers go quiet, I'm starting to worry," Renzulli said and threw his glasses on the desk before he got to his feet and walked around the table. He closed the door, still with his eyes on the younger man. "You would tell me, straight out, if something was going on with the two of you, right?" he asked, looking Jamie directly in the eyes. Jamie swallowed and nodded, trying to give his commanding officer a light smirk.

"You would be the first to know, but I'm telling you, we're good," Jamie said and Renzulli nodded, only a little spark of suspicion in his eyes.

"Good… I would hate to lose any one of you to lack of judgment," the older man said and opened the door again. "Roll call in two minutes," he said firmly and walked back around his desk. Jamie hesitated for a moment before he headed out the door. "Oh… and be smart, Mr. Ivy League," Renzulli called after him without looking up. Jamie smiled to himself before heading down the hallway for the break room, figuring he had time enough to grab a cup of coffee. He stopped momentarily when his eyes landed on his partner, who apparently had the same idea and was pouring a cup for herself. He picked up his feet and walked over to the machine.

"Hey," he greeted her and grabbed a cup. Eddie took a step to the side, giving him more space and glanced shortly at him.

"Hey," she replied dryly, and stirred her cup. She could feel Jamie's eyes on her.

"You look terrible," Jamie said with a light smile, hoping to get more of a reaction. Eddie turned to look at him with a cold glare.

"Gee, Reagan, you really know what to tell a woman," she said derisively and turned to walk away. Jamie followed her down the hallway.

"I'm just trying to help you, Janko," he said, trying to get through to her. Eddie stopped abruptly and turned to look at him, fiery in her eyes.

"You wanna help me?" she asked and had almost pointed her finger at his chest. "Leave it alone," she continued and walked through the door to roll call, leaving Jamie astounded in the hallway before he followed her in. Renzulli, already at the podium noted the tension between the two officers when they walked in, but pushed it aside for the moment.

 **Friday, 8.00 am, Chelsea  
** Almost an hour into the tour they were still silent. Eddie kept looking out the window, defiantly avoiding Jamie's eyes.

"Danny asked me for a favor, yesterday," Jamie began the lie. When Eddie didn't respond, he continued. "Asked me, if I would look around for a suspect," he said. Still nothing from the passenger seat. "Male, about six-one, six-two, medium-athletic, short dirty blond hair," he kept an eye on his partner when she tried not to squirm in her seat. If, in fact, Danny's case didn't involve the man, that exited Eddie's building the other day, she wouldn't know who it was. "Could have some kind of mark or scar on the left side of his face," Jamie said and Eddie's head whipped around to look at him, confusion and suspicion in her eyes.

"Really, is that your excuse?" she asked irritated.

"Excuse for what? That man is a suspect in a double homicide," Jamie said defensively. The words seemed to have an impact on her.

"What?" she asked, now more shocked than anything.

"So you do know him?" Jamie asked when Eddie tried to recover. The remark only made her look even more irritated and hurt.

"How do you figure that?" she asked and crossed her arms. Now it was Jamie's turn to squirm in his seat. "No, you didn't… really?" she asked when the realization dawned on her. "Really, would you go that far?" she asked, just as surprised as she was amazed.

"I just had to make sure you were okay," Jamie explained. Eddie sighed and shook her head.

"Unbelievable," she muttered and touched her brow. "Why didn't your brother put it in roll call, then?" she asked, looking out the window again.

"It's up in Hell's Kitchen, not in our precinct," Jamie said and glanced at her. "Eddie, if you know something…" he continued but was cut off by Eddie.

"I don't, all right?" she said, and both on them went quiet for a beat.

" _All units, be advised, 10-85, additional back-up requested for crowd control on 232 Ninth Avenue,_ " the radio sounded and Jamie waited a beat before replying.

"12-David to central, show us responding to 10-85," Jamie said and changed lanes.

 **Friday, 3.00 pm, 12** **th** **precinct  
** "Reagan, Janko, my office, please," Renzulli greeted them when the two officers walked through the door. Apparently the sergeant had been waiting for them and the two of them glanced at each other. Jamie with a nervous look in his eyes and Eddie's a bit more hardened. They followed the older man into his office and he sat down, motioning for his visitors to take a seat as well. "Something I should know about?" he asked them, straight out. Jamie looked down and Eddie's eyes ran over him, confused, for a second.

"Like what, Sarge?" Eddie asked, unsure. She had automatically straightened up in Renzulli's presence, but now she felt a little bit smaller.

"I don't know, maybe the two feet thick wall of ice and silence between the two of you, for starters?" Renzulli replied. Eddie clamped up, hesitant to speak.

"It's taken care of, Sarge…" Jamie said and kept his eyes on his training officer. He could feel Eddie glaring at him. "A bump on the road, but we are stabilizing," he said, hoping it was enough for an explanation. Hoping that, Renzulli wouldn't demand any more. The sergeant shifted his gaze to Eddie, looked at her inquiringly.

"Nothing to worry about, Sarge," she agreed with a smile, the best she could muster. Renzulli looked at her for a few seconds before leaning back, apparently satisfied with their response.

"Good. Go home. But I'm still keeping my eyes on the two of you," he said warningly when the two officers scrambled to their feet and moved out of the door. They were silent until out of earshot.

"What the hell, Reagan?" Eddie whispered furiously, when she abruptly turned into the break room.

"He's a suspect, Eddie, in a homicide. I'm not leaving it," Jamie said defensively, trying hard to keep his voice down. "Hindering an investigation? Harboring a fugitive? You do the math and let me know what the answer is," Jamie said furiously and turned around on his heels, leaving Eddie alone and stunned.

 **Friday, 8.00 pm, Flannery's**  
Jamie walked through the door and glanced around until he saw his partner's blonde hair down in the back. On the way down, he ordered a beer from the bar and continued into the lion's den.

"Hey," he greeted her carefully and took a seat next to her, noticing the scarf she was wearing again. Jamie wasn't at all sure of where they were standing after what he had thrown at her, earlier in the day.

"Hey," Eddie only replied, a mixture of feelings in her eyes. "Thank you for coming," she said and took a swig of her beer.

"You got it… but I have to ask, why this place?" Jamie responded and looked around. Eddie looked at him with a smile and tilted her head.

"Do you have to ask?" she answered and Jamie shrugged.

"It wouldn't happen to be because of the twenty-four-hour donut shop, literally next door?" he said, both of them smiled. It was so easy to go back into their old banter, Jamie realized.

"They were delicious," Eddie laughed, still a bit tense. They fell silent for a few moments when the bartender arrived with Jamie's beer.

"Thanks," he mumbled and the man nodded before he turned around. "You all right?" he continued seriously, now looking at Eddie again.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she sighed. "And you're right, as always, but please, save the gloating for another day," she continued quickly and brushed a lock of hair behind her ears.

"All right… so, what are you going to do?" Jamie asked, Eddie shrugged, looking at the bottle in front of her.

"I don't know where he is, but next time I see him, I'm calling it in," she said a bit defeated. Jamie took a swig of his beer but didn't say anything. After a few moments, Eddie glanced up at him, seriousness in her eyes. "Don't do that," she scolded him, trying to sound angry.

"Do what?" Jamie countered, not able to hide his smirk.

"Be all judgmental and stuff," she replied and pushed half heartedly at his shoulder.

"I'm not," Jamie laughed. "I didn't say anything," he continued and Eddie sighed.

"You didn't have to… remember, my abilities are cape worthy," she explained and downed the rest of her beer. "I should get going, we have another early tour tomorrow," she said and got to her feet.

"Oh, yeah, the caped superhero needs her beauty sleep," Jamie agreed and Eddie swatted him on the arm when he got up. He found a few crumpled bills and stuck them under his bottle before following his partner out. They walked in silence for a few minutes, hands in their pockets, looking down at the sidewalk. They didn't mention anything to walking together, it just seemed like the thing to do.

"I'm sorry for being an ass this entire week," Eddie finally admitted and glanced carefully at her partner by her side.

"Don't think about it… I was just worried about you," Jamie replied and came to a halt when Eddie stopped. He turned around to face her about to say something, but forgot the words when Eddie pulled off the scarf and revealed the greenish bruises on her neck. Jamie, speechless for several moments, had to swallow a big lump in his throat. "He did that?" he asked carefully and lifted Eddie's chin for a better look. She nodded silently before turning away.

"He didn't mean to do it… he just has a difficult temper," Eddie said and continued walking with Jamie by her side. "I've known him all my life, our mothers grew up together," she explained.

"It doesn't change those bruises," Jamie said insensitively.


	3. Chapter 3

_AN - Hello! Last chapter in this mini-fic. I hoped you like it. Got another fic up in my sleeve, I promise I'll post it soon. And you, will have to promise me, to enjoy this chapter. I think, I might have gotten some words wrong, but please correct me, if there are any inconsistencies. C-ya! /K._

 **Sunday, 6.00 pm, Bay Ridge**

Silence around the Sunday dinner table was a rarity at best. Not an angry or feisty silence after a dispute like normal, but a more tired and exhausted silence. They probably had something to talk about, but they were all to irritated at something to begin an argument with a family member. Jack, Sean and Nicky looked around suspiciously, catching on to the deflated mood.

"What's the matter, kid? You've been so quiet all week," Danny said, finally breaking the silence, and inhaled another portion of the mashed potatoes. Jamie had done nothing but pushing his food around on the plate, not really eating anything, even if it was mashed potatoes. The whole family turned their heads to look at Jamie and he just shrugged.

"It's nothing to worry about… just haven't had the best week. Can we, please, just leave it there," he asked around the table and took a sip of his water.

"All right," Danny settled, surprising the family with his willingness.

"What? No snarky comeback from you?" Erin asked, astonished. Linda turned to look at him in amazement.

"Do I need to check your temperature?" Linda asked and looked at her husband with a smile.

"Nah, come on… I've had one of those weeks myself, I know how the kid feels," Danny explained with hunched shoulders.

"That's a first," Henry grunted from the other end of the table.

"You haven't caught the bad guy yet, dad?" Jack asked curiously and Danny shook his head.

"I'm still working on it, but the lead has been cold for a week now. Not even OC has come up with something," Danny complained and sighed. They had turned to Organized Crime midweek, hoping for a breakthrough, but nothing had happened. They still hadn't identified the two victims, nothing in the DMV to point them out.

"Have you tried running their prints or the tattoos through Interpol?" Frank asked and Danny stopped chewing for a second. Frank had been keeping taps on the investigation, of course, through Lieutenant Gormley. Danny hadn't even thought of going outside the state, let alone to Interpol. He swallowed and shook his head.

"They have a database for ink?" he asked surprised and Frank nodded.

"It's based on every single department across the world's intel, so theoretically you can look up a prison gang across the Atlantic," Frank replied. Danny nodded, impressed.

"That's why he's in the corner office on the 14th floor," Erin said with a proud smile.

"What about that friend of yours, the one that needed help?" Henry asked Jamie, after a few moments of silence.

"That's part of it, but yeah, I got through," Jamie replied and finally stabbed a piece of carrot onto his fork.

"What's that about?" Nicky asked and looked at her uncle with curiosity in her eyes. Jamie contemplated for a moment before answering.

"A friend of mine needed help, but wouldn't let me interfere. We're all good now," Jamie responded.

"Am I right, if I say this is about your partner?" Danny asked and shoveled a mouthful of broccoli into his mouth. Jamie's eyes shot across the table and he cringed involuntarily.

"What makes you think that, Danny?" Jamie asked and Danny shrugged, mouth full of food.

"Gender neutral… and you're close," he replied after swallowing.

"Officer Janko?" Nicky asked remembering the blonde officer she had met.

"Really? That's all you base your conclusion on?" Jamie asked, not answering Nicky's question.

"Well, I do have a gold shield, kid," Danny said and smirked, the mood had lightened a bit.

"Excellent detective work," Erin commented dryly and Danny shot his sister a glare.

"Maybe you could apply those skills on your case instead of me," Jamie replied, a bit more sourly than he had intended.

"Cut it off, you two," Henry broke in before Danny could respond and the two brothers became silent at once, concentrating on their food.

"Can I ask something?" Sean asked after a moment.

"I don't know, Sean, can you?" Frank replied and reached for the butter.

"Why would anyone not want help? I would always want help with my homework, that's for sure, especially in math," the youngest of the Reagan's said.

"Well, some people think they would look weak, if they asked for help," Frank replied, after thinking for a second.

"Other people are just too proud. Especially if they are very independent," Jamie continued.

"No one likes to feel indebted, and asking someone to help can shift the balance of a friendship," Erin said.

"So if I ever need help, I can just ask?" Sean said curiously.

"Sure," Danny said.

"As long, as it isn't cheating," Linda continued.

"But remember, as you make your bed, so you must lie on it," Henry said, harvesting a few laughs from around the table.

"Self-sufficiency is a good thing, boys, but isolating yourself is not good," Frank said.

"If you do the right thing from the start, maybe you don't need the help," Jamie said and Henry smiled.

"Hear, hear," the oldest Reagan chanted and lifted his glass.

 **Sunday, 10.00 pm, Flatiron District**

Jamie had just turned off his computer and was heading for the bathroom when his phone pinged. He walked back to the table and retrieved it, looking at the text from his partner. ' _He's here. Need help. Hurry.'_ Jamie felt his hands go from cold to clammy in a matter of seconds. He had to mentally kick himself in the behind to rush out the door, almost forgetting his keys. His driving would have been called reckless, and he didn't know what to do if had he been stopped by a squad car. Still holding his breath, he screeched to a halt not far from Eddie's building less than ten minutes later and continued to run up the stairs were he finally retrieved some rationality and called it in, using his shield number to rush the back up. He stopped in front of the closed door, not hearing anything, and it felt like his heart had jumped up in his throat and stopped. Carefully, he pushed the handle down and opened the door, saw all the coats and jackets on the floor instead of on the coat hangers just inside the door.

"Really, do I need to have a talk with your father, Edit?" a man's voice asked, quiet but strong. Jamie instinctively went for the weapon on his hip, but realizing he wasn't armed, he looked around for an alternative. He grabbed the umbrella, the only half-decent thing in reach, Jamie thought distantly and crept silently forward. Peering around the corner, he saw his partner sit on the floor, back against the wall, clutching her left wrist tight and her eyes were red and puffy. The tall man was on the couch, rubbing his eyes, getting nowhere. Jamie couldn't see any weapon, fortunately.

"Everything okay here?" he asked and the tall man jumped to his feet and turned around. Jamie noticed the scar on his face and Eddie's eyes shot up and rested on Jamie's. He saw a small glimmer of a smile in them. Still holding the umbrella, Jamie walked in, casually looking around to inspect the surprising amount of damages.

"Yeah, we're fine, man," the taller man said. By Eddie's account, his name was Ivan Maslov, his accent less defined, than Jamie would have thought. "My girlfriend and I are just having a disagreement, you can go," he said. Jamie nodded and changed his gaze from the man to Eddie behind him.

"Eddie, you okay?" Jamie asked and when he tried to move forward the taller man stepped in front of him, blocking his way. Eddie said nothing at first but then nodded carefully.

"I said, you can go now," he repeated. Jamie sized him up and then peered around him at Eddie.

"Is this the guy?" Jamie asked and noticed the man flinch, but covered it up nicely. Once again, Eddie nodded and swallowed.

"Yeah, it's him," she said hesitantly. Jamie turned to the tall man again.

"If you don't want any trouble, you should walk out of here now. Police is on the way," Jamie informed him and saw how his face turned into a shade of white and then red.

"What? You called the cops?" the taller man growled and Jamie nodded, unaffected. It had taken him all his strength to not just tackle the guy and read him his rights.

"Yeah, you've got less than a minute, before this place is crawling," Jamie said. "Now, you should reconsider the opportunity I'm giving you, before I arrest you myself," Jamie said and stepped aside, giving him room to pass. Except he didn't. When hearing the approaching sirens, Jamie saw how the man's eyes changed from angry to those of an animal trapped in a corner only a second before he reacted instinctively to the fist coming at him. If it hadn't been for his training, he was sure the punch would have been well placed, but Jamie turned away and ducked back, delivering a merciless jab to the man's exposed ribs. He then danced away when another punch came at him and swung the umbrella at the man's head. It didn't do much damage, quite the opposite, actually, when it was torn out of his hands and hurled at him. Jamie twisted around and pulled his head down before he felt the sharp whack on his upper back. The umbrella broke in half and the only thing stopping Jamie from falling to his knees was the man, as he was pushed against the wall, head first and with the lower arm pinching his throat. Eddie had scurried away but was close enough to lash out with her foot. The taller man's scream in agony when his knee cracked out on the wrong side was mixed with the newly arrived officer's yelling and his legs buckled beneath him. Jamie almost fell to the ground, only supported by the wall, coughing and spluttering.

"Reagan? Janko? You two okay?" one of the officers asked while securing the assailant, recognizing his two coworkers from the neighboring precinct.

"Yeah, I think so… my wrist hurts," Eddie answered after looking at Jamie, who nodded, affirmatively, before letting himself slide down the wall next to her.

"Never better," Jamie rasped and coughed once again when looking at Eddie. The tall man was now whimpering endlessly from the floor, handcuffed while one of the officers explained him his rights. "Nice kick, partner," he acknowledged and looked from Eddie to the squirming man on the floor.

"You owe me an umbrella, Reagan," Eddie said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Let's get you out of here, there's a bus waiting downstairs," the officer said, offering a hand to Jamie and pulled him up to his feet.

"I'll get you a new one," Jamie reassured her with a tired smile and pulled her up. "You sure, you're all right?" Jamie asked when she tenderly held her wrist.

"Yeah, it's just strained," she said when they walked out of her place and headed down. Outside the air had gotten colder and a few squad cars were scattered around Jamie's, next to an ambulance.

"Kid, what the hell happened?" Danny shouted from across the road when he jumped out of the car. Jamie looked at his brother and his shoulder's fell down.

"Go get your wrist checked out. I'll be over in a minute," Jamie told Eddie and she nodded distantly. The fatigue was starting to show in her face as the adrenaline disappeared and her wrist started to thump again.

"Danny, what are you doing here?" Jamie said, meeting Danny halfway.

"I could ask you the same thing," Danny countered irritably and squinted his eyes at his brother when he got closer. Redness around his neck, a little bit cloudy eyes and walking tenderly. "You good?" Danny continued and glanced over Jamie shoulder at Eddie, sitting on the back of the ambulance.

"I'm fine… your guy's inside. Name is Ivan Maslov," Jamie said, hoping to brush of Danny quickly. He really didn't need a lecture right now.

"I know, I figured it out," Danny said uptight. "She all right?" he asked and nodded towards Eddie, whose wrist was now being bandaged. Jamie looked over his shoulder and nodded.

"She'll live," Jamie only sighed, relieved.

"Right… I'll catch you later, kid. Stay out of trouble," Danny said and padded Jamie on the shoulder when he passed him and moved to the building, in search for his person of interest. Jamie looked after him for a few seconds, before ambling over to Eddie.

"What did he say?" Eddie asked curiously, when Jamie was ordered to sit next to her by the medic.

"I don't even think, he is mad…" Jamie said hesitantly, but with a smirk. Eddie leaned sideways and bumped his shoulder with hers.

"Too busy worrying about you?" Eddie joked and Jamie shrugged. They fell silent for a few moments, contemplating the night's events. The medic pushed an icepack into Jamie's hands and he raised it to the back of his head, where it had connected with the wall. They saw Danny walk out of the door and headed over to them.

"Hey Janko, you're all right?" Danny asked and she nodded with a smile.

"I'll be fine, Detective," she answered gratefully.

"Your place is a mess, but you can go back up if you feel like it," Danny mentioned after nodding. Eddie shoulders fell down and she bit her lip.

"Thanks," was her only reply.

"Right," he mumbled and looked around for a second. "I'll catch you later," he said and nodded before going back to his car. His person of interest would be transferred to the hospital to get the knee fixed and he and Baez would have access to interrogate him in the morning.

"Eddie?" Jamie asked when Danny had disappeared around the corner.

"Hmm?" she replied and turned her head to look at him.

"Need a place to stay to night?" he asked and glanced sideways at her.

"You offering?" she asked and smiled when he nodded. She nodded her own response after a second and smiled. "Thank you, Reagan," she said.

"Don't make me regret it," Jamie joked and received a punch to his arm. He yelped and laughed and Eddie grinned at him.

 **Monday, 2.00 am, Flatiron District**

After the final checkups at the hospital, Jamie and Eddie could finally walk through the door to Jamie's place.

"I'm beat," Eddie stated and yawned to prove it. She dropped her bag on the floor as Jamie closed the door behind her.

"Let me grab some blankets, then I'll stay on the couch," Jamie said and lifted a hand when Eddie was about to protest. "No 'buts', Eddie," he sighed and walked past her. Eddie clamped her mouth shut again, not bothering to comment. "Make yourself at home," Jamie said when walking into the bedroom to retrieve a pillow and a blanket. Eddie looked after him for a second before walking to the fridge in the kitchen, hunting for something drinkable.

"Hey, Reagan, you want a beer?" she called over her shoulder when she pulled one bottle out of a pack in the bottom of the fridge. She popped the lid of, while waiting for an answer and pulled out another when he confirmed. She left the caps on the counter and trailed to the couch with both bottles in one hand.

"You're all right?" Jamie asked when he walked out of the bedroom with an armful of pillows and blankets. Eddie had leaned back into the soft cushions and stared profoundly at the bottle in her hand. She had turned the TV on and found an old classic western she had muted. The other beer was standing on the coffee table. Eddie nodded distantly and sipped at her beer when Jamie tossed the pillows and blankets in the bottom and took a seat next to her, grabbing the lonely beer on the table.

"I just can't believe, that he would do that," Eddie said frustrated and sipped the beer again. "I should've known better," she continued faintly and sighed.

"Maybe," Jamie said, pondering. "I think, I would have done the exact same thing, if I was in your place," he admitted and Eddie glanced sideways at him.

"Really? You? Mr. By the Book? Ha," she huffed and grinned at his expression. Jamie shrugged and smiled.

"All right, maybe I would have given him the benefit of the doubt for just a day or two," Jamie confessed with a laugh.

"Sounds about right," Eddie agreed and went quiet for a beat, before turning her head to look at him. Their eyes locked and she smiled softly at him. "Thank you, Jamie," was the only thing she said and Jamie nodded in appreciation.

"Your welcome, partner," he said and clinked her bottle with his. Their eyes fell on the TV it didn't take long before Eddie nodded of, head resting on Jamie's shoulder and snoring lightly. Jamie fell asleep not long after, trying to concentrate on the movie, but gave in to the sleep.


End file.
